LED board question

[muleface]

so I picked up a bunch of ipower 45 watt lights from Woot for $25 each. I was going to use them for lettuce, and I still may. However I took one apart and wanted to know if anyone knew what the max juice i could put though 1 of the boards.

so the boards have 75 diodes on them, id guess they are 2835's. I am not sure what the rest of the letters and numbers on the board mean.

in each light there are 3 boards and they are wired in parallel. The entire lights pumps out a whopping 26 watts (9 w per board)

I would like to put in a larger driver. Maybe get entire light up to the actual 45 watts.

Thoughts?

 

[CobKits]

what do the drivers say? you should be able to measure it with a meter

 

[muleface]

so the driver that came with it does 26 watts and .22 amps. I pulled the driver off and connected it to a 240w 1050ma meanwell and ran the 3 boards in serial. It pulled about 53 watts per board so a total of about 159 watts at the wall. I was just going to keep adding boards until it stopped turning on.

 

[nfhiggs]

so the driver that came with it does 26 watts and .22 amps. I pulled the driver off and connected it to a 240w 1050ma meanwell and ran the 3 boards in serial. It pulled about 53 watts per board so a total of about 159 watts at the wall. I was just going to keep adding boards until it stopped turning on.

So your putting 150+ watts through a set of diodes rated for 45W? Yeah, I don't see that lasting for very long....

 

[muleface]

LOL! clearly. Im not sure its rated for 45 watts. I have no idea what its rated for, i mean at the wall its pulling 26 watts, so id assume its rated for that. I was just curious what the actual board is setup to do. Im sure if i put a heat sink on it, i could push 45 watts per board.

best guess is that leds are .2 watts, so 75x.2 is 15 watts per board.

 

[nfhiggs]

LOL! clearly. Im not sure its rated for 45 watts. I have no idea what its rated for, i mean at the wall its pulling 26 watts, so id assume its rated for that. I was just curious what the actual board is setup to do. Im sure if i put a heat sink on it, i could push 45 watts per board.

best guess is that leds are .2 watts, so 75x.2 is 15 watts per board.

I believe the 2835's are a .6W rated diode - which would match up with the 45W rating.

 

[muleface]

so they say the fv of 1 diode is 3.2v, how would i determine the fv of an entire board?

 

[muleface]

So here are some results:

meanwell 240 @ 1050ma

everything is running in series

3 boards gets me 160 total watts at the wall
6 boards gets me 100 total watts at the wall
8 boards gets me 7 total watts at the wall
9 boards, nothing

would this indicate the lights are running in both parallel and in series on the boards?

 

[Randomblame]

So here are some results:

meanwell 240 @ 1050ma

everything is running in series

3 boards gets me 160 total watts at the wall
6 boards gets me 100 total watts at the wall
8 boards gets me 7 total watts at the wall
9 boards, nothing

would this indicate the lights are running in both parallel and in series on the boards?

Yepp!

This "15C5B" printed on the board means 15S5P to me, so 15 diodes in series and 5 strings in parallel.

So with 3,2v max. for a smd2835 the total volts a string could need would be 48v.

Futher assuming 150mA is max. current for a smd2835 mounted on such a board, it should be safe to drive one of these boards with 48v/700mA. With 200mA max. it would be 48v/1000mA per board.

So now to your HLG-240 driver... the 1050mA version can deliver 238v at 1050mA.

With 10 boards, 5 in series(~225-235v) and two "5-board-strings" in parallel hooked to a hlg-240-1050 driver each board should get Ø 45v/525mA and run at ~24w.
With only 5 boards in series each should run at 48v/1050mA(but that's 2 volts above drivers maximum)
6 in series is above the driver specs but low enough for the driver to allow to drive them at a lower current. But therefor only with 100w total.
7 and more boards in series is way to much!
4-5 boards should be safe but above the smd2835 specs in terms of current because 200mA is pulsed current limit.
8-10 boards in two parallel strings are most probably the best way to get the most power out of these boards.

 

[muleface]

Yepp!

This "15C5B" printed on the board means 15S5P to me, so 15 diodes in series and 5 strings in parallel.

So with 3,2v max. for a smd2835 the total volts a string could need would be 48v.

Futher assuming 150mA is max. current for a smd2835 mounted on such a board, it should be safe to drive one of these boards with 48v/700mA. With 200mA max. it would be 48v/1000mA per board.

So now to your HLG-240 driver... the 1050mA version can deliver 238v at 1050mA.

With 10 boards, 5 in series(~225-235v) and two "5-board-strings" in parallel hooked to a hlg-240-1050 driver each board should get Ø 45v/525mA and run at ~24w.
With only 5 boards in series each should run at 48v/1050mA(but that's 2 volts above drivers maximum)
6 in series is above the driver specs but low enough for the driver to allow to drive them at a lower current. But therefor only with 100w total.
7 and more boards in series is way to much!
4-5 boards should be safe but above the smd2835 specs in terms of current because 200mA is pulsed current limit.
8-10 boards in two parallel strings are most probably the best way to get the most power out of these boards.

wow! thank you!

 

[muleface]

So, would a HLG-185h-c700 be an idea driver for this? It looks like you could hook up 12 total boards.

286 volts / 48 volts per board = 5.95 boards, id assume this would probably work
this would give me about 15 watts per board, so the normal rated amount.

so hook them up as 6 in series and then run the 2 - 6 packs in parallel.

or am i way off on this?

 

[nfhiggs]

So, would a HLG-185h-c700 be an idea driver for this? It looks like you could hook up 12 total boards.

286 volts / 48 volts per board = 5.95 boards, id assume this would probably work
this would give me about 15 watts per board, so the normal rated amount.

so hook them up as 6 in series and then run the 2 - 6 packs in parallel.

or am i way off on this?

Should work...

 

[muleface]

on a meanwell 240 @ 1050ma

I went with 12 boards, hooked them up running 6 in series each, then ran the 2 - 6 groups in parallel.

so what does this give me?

a large light, its 28x32 in size with leds evenly spread across the entire light (900 diodes)
that's 6.22 sf, giving me 36.64 watts per sf

1 driver - $55
4 ipower led lights - $100
wire/wago/bolts - $5
about $0.70 a watt

is this super awesome? no...

but if i spaced the light out a bit, i could create a light that would be ok for maybe a 3x3 grow tent.

I am still going to use these to grow lettuce.

Anyone know where i can get a cheap off brand driver so im not dropping $55 bucks on a meanwell

 

[Randomblame]

I like LSD-Power supplies because they have the most voltage/current options I've ever seen. You can exact find the one you need, but only to 200-240w. They can made bigger ones if you need but probably not only one or two.. But you can take two 150w driver to drive 6 boards in series and have no need of parallel wiring. This would give you more flexibillity and keep the two units separated...

200w driver(145v DC, 1,4A, 95% eff.)
http://lsdpower.com/htmlshow.asp?id=60

150w driver
http://lsdpower.com/pro_show.asp?id=59

120w driver
http://lsdpower.com/pro_show.asp?id=58

They have several other driver series all in Meanwell like quality and efficiency + lots of configurations available.
Maybe a OEM supplier or just copied but they work good and for sure cheaper.
Change the language of their website and contact them via chat, they are friendly and helpful, also when it comes to customs/VAT..

Another source:
http://www.mosopower.com/en/Product/List_111032001002002.html

They looks more like Inventronics but they didn't have as much current and voltage options as the lsd powersupplies so I prefer LSD ..

 

[muleface]

I like LSD-Power supplies because they have the most voltage/current options I've ever seen. You can exact find the one you need, but only to 200-240w. They can made bigger ones if you need but probably not only one or two.. But you can take two 150w driver to drive 6 boards in series and have no need of parallel wiring. This would give you more flexibillity and keep the two units separated...

200w driver(145v DC, 1,4A, 95% eff.)
http://lsdpower.com/htmlshow.asp?id=60

150w driver
http://lsdpower.com/pro_show.asp?id=59

120w driver
http://lsdpower.com/pro_show.asp?id=58

They have several other driver series all in Meanwell like quality and efficiency + lots of configurations available.
Maybe a OEM supplier or just copied but they work good and for sure cheaper.
Change the language of their website and contact them via chat, they are friendly and helpful, also when it comes to customs/VAT..

Another source:
http://www.mosopower.com/en/Product/List_111032001002002.html

They looks more like Inventronics but they didn't have as much current and voltage options as the lsd powersupplies so I prefer LSD ..

so I got some drivers. LPV-150-48, they are 3.2 amps. I ran everything in parallel. so it should work, but i think the amps are too high, its making the LEDs flash.

My assumption here was 48 volts per board, each would get 12.5 watts. But they are also getting 267ma each, so i am guessing that is too high, causing the flashing.

am i off here? is there something that can be done to fix this, or should i return the drivers and get something else?

--------------------------------------
edit:

ok, i hooked up 4 of the boards in parallel and it works, but adding a 5th makes it flash, so i would guess its a voltage thing.

 

[nfhiggs]

so I got some drivers. LPV-150-48, they are 3.2 amps. I ran everything in parallel. so it should work, but i think the amps are too high, its making the LEDs flash.

My assumption here was 48 volts per board, each would get 12.5 watts. But they are also getting 267ma each, so i am guessing that is too high, causing the flashing.

am i off here? is there something that can be done to fix this, or should i return the drivers and get something else?

--------------------------------------
edit:

ok, i hooked up 4 of the boards in parallel and it works, but adding a 5th makes it flash, so i would guess its a voltage thing.

If the voltage is adjustable, turn it all the way DOWN. Then see if it will run all five boards. The boards are pulling too much current at 48V and you are overloading the power supply.

 

[Randomblame]

so I got some drivers. LPV-150-48, they are 3.2 amps. I ran everything in parallel. so it should work, but i think the amps are too high, its making the LEDs flash.

My assumption here was 48 volts per board, each would get 12.5 watts. But they are also getting 267ma each, so i am guessing that is too high, causing the flashing.

am i off here? is there something that can be done to fix this, or should i return the drivers and get something else?

--------------------------------------
edit:

ok, i hooked up 4 of the boards in parallel and it works, but adding a 5th makes it flash, so i would guess its a voltage thing.

I'm wrong with my first voltage calcutations because the boards have red and blue led's and not only the white ones and the reds are typically lower in voltage.(2,1-2,6v)
So maybe between 35 and 40v per board.
If a string starts to blink usually the voltage is not right.
Is there a way to adjust the voltage on these LPV-150? If yes, try to adjust it down to 40v while the string is blinking.

Edit:
I've looked into the datasheet and there ist no voltage trimmer.
So 4 of these boards seems to be the maximum for it.
The voltage will be adjusted automaticly to a corresponding value, so each board should work with ~800mA. Did you check the used power with a kill-a-watt meter?
I would like to know how many watts are used with 4 boards in parallel?

If you connect 5 boards each board gets only ~640mA and with less current it needs less voltage too and it seems the needed voltage is to low then for the driver.

 

[nfhiggs]

I'm wrong with my first voltage calcutations because the boards have red and blue led's and not only the white ones and the reds are typically lower in voltage.(2,1-2,6v)
So maybe between 35 and 40v per board.
If a string starts to blink usually the voltage is not right.
Is there a way to adjust the voltage on these LPV-150? If yes, try to adjust it down to 40v while the string is blinking.

Edit:
I've looked into the datasheet and there ist no voltage trimmer.
So 4 of these boards seems to be the maximum for it.
The voltage will be adjusted automaticly to a corresponding value, so each board should work with ~800mA. Did you check the used power with a kill-a-watt meter?
I would like to know how many watts are used with 4 boards in parallel?

If you connect 5 boards each board gets only ~640mA and with less current it needs less voltage too an

so I got some drivers. LPV-150-48, they are 3.2 amps. I ran everything in parallel. so it should work, but i think the amps are too high, its making the LEDs flash.

My assumption here was 48 volts per board, each would get 12.5 watts. But they are also getting 267ma each, so i am guessing that is too high, causing the flashing.

am i off here? is there something that can be done to fix this, or should i return the drivers and get something else?

--------------------------------------
edit:

ok, i hooked up 4 of the boards in parallel and it works, but adding a 5th makes it flash, so i would guess its a voltage thing.

Return them for something that is adjustable.

 

[muleface]

i can't turn the driver down.

I'm wrong with my first voltage calcutations because the boards have red and blue led's and not only the white ones and the reds are typically lower in voltage.(2,1-2,6v)
So maybe between 35 and 40v per board.
If a string starts to blink usually the voltage is not right.
Is there a way to adjust the voltage on these LPV-150? If yes, try to adjust it down to 40v while the string is blinking.

Edit:
I've looked into the datasheet and there ist no voltage trimmer.
So 4 of these boards seems to be the maximum for it.
The voltage will be adjusted automaticly to a corresponding value, so each board should work with ~800mA. Did you check the used power with a kill-a-watt meter?
I would like to know how many watts are used with 4 boards in parallel?

If you connect 5 boards each board gets only ~640mA and with less current it needs less voltage too and it seems the needed voltage is to low then for the driver.

at the wall its about 185 watts.

 

[muleface]

after 3 different orders of drivers (and 2 returns), I have finally found what works for these boards.

These actually do a pretty solid job. I picked up some 185-1400ma drivers. When i ran them out of the box, they give me 180 watts at the wall, so 45 watts per light. That is exactly what i was hoping for.

So the total cost per light works out to about $38.

Each light fixture has 3 - 15 watt boards and are wired in series. Then 4 of the lights fixtures are wired in parallel.

I noticed the LUX of these lights seem to be lower then the 6500k lights i was using for lettuce (yes, i know, lumens are for humans) But I don't have a par meter, so that what i am stuck with for measuring them.

I have never tried red/blue lights. Any suggestions on how i would distance them from my plants?